Christmas Embroidery Patterns Free: Holly Hoop for Beginners

Size: design about 4.2 x 4.2 in (11 x 11 cm), for a 6 in (15 cm) hoop

Fabric: a 10 x 10 in (25 x 25 cm) square of cream or white cotton or linen-cotton, washed and pressed

Threads: DMC 6-strand embroidery floss, one skein of each colour; use 2 strands throughout. Lengths are the 2-strand thread you stitch with, with spare, cut in 18 in (45 cm) pieces:

- DMC 729 Medium Old Gold: about 24 in (61 cm)

- DMC 890 Ultra Dark Pistachio Green: about 134 in (340 cm)

- DMC 987 Dark Forest Green: about 91 in (231 cm)

- DMC 3347 Medium Yellow Green: about 23 in (58 cm)

- DMC 321 Red: about 44 in (112 cm)

Notions: 6 in embroidery hoop, size 7 embroidery needle, water-soluble fabric pen or a light pencil, scissors

Stitches: running stitch, satin stitch, backstitch, French knot

Transfer

Print the template page at 100% (actual size) and measure the 1 in scale square; if it is not exactly 1 in, check the print setting. Tape the template to a window, centre the fabric over it and trace every line, leaf outline and dot with the pen.

Put the fabric in the hoop so it is drum tight, with the screw at the top.

Stitch guide

Running stitch: Bring the needle up on the line, go down 1/8 in further along, come up again 1/16 in on, and repeat, so you get even dashes with gaps between them.

Satin stitch: Fill the leaf with straight stitches laid side by side across its width, from one edge of the outline to the other, close enough that no fabric shows; start in the middle of the leaf and work out to each tip so the angle stays even.

Backstitch: Bring the needle up one stitch length along the line, go down at the start of the line, then come up one stitch length ahead of your last stitch and go back down into the end of it, so the stitches touch.

French knot: Come up where the knot goes, wrap the thread twice around the needle, hold the wraps snug with your other hand, and go down right next to where you came up, pulling the thread through slowly.

Holly leaves are wide: if a satin stitch would be longer than about 3/8 in, bring the needle down in the middle of it and work that row as two shorter stitches, so the thread cannot snag.

Order of work

1. Stitch the dotted gold ring around the design in running stitch. DMC 729, 2 strands.
2. Fill the three lower holly leaves with satin stitch in the darker green, stitching across the leaf and out into each point. DMC 890, 2 strands.
3. Fill the two upper holly leaves with satin stitch in the lighter green the same way. DMC 987, 2 strands.
4. Backstitch a midrib down the middle of each of the five leaves, from near the berries to just short of the tip, on top of the satin. DMC 3347, 2 strands.
5. Make the three berries last: for each one, one French knot on the middle dot and six packed round it on the ring of dots. DMC 321, 2 strands.

Finishing

1. Rinse the fabric in cool water to remove the pen lines, roll it in a towel and press it face down on a soft towel.
2. Put it back in the hoop centred, tighten the screw, and trim the fabric to 1 in outside the hoop.
3. Run a running stitch around that edge, pull it up at the back like a drawstring, and tie off.

Counts: 43 running stitch dashes in the ring, 5 satin-stitch holly leaves (3 dark, 2 light), 5 backstitched midribs, 21 French knots (3 berries of 7).